The invention relates, in general, to a hauling and cutting unit of the type having a cutting machine or a similar mining machine bridging a conveyor trough, in the manner of a gantry and more particularly, the invention relates to an improved hauling and cutting assembly with a chain scraper conveyor having a drive, arranged at the backfilling end, and at least one chain sprocket wheel mounted on a bearing pin and engaging a drive chain extending in the direction of conveyance within the guide slot of a base frame that is connected to the backfilling end to the trough wall of the conveyor.
In such hauling and cutting units, high power must be transmitted from the drive to the cutting machine. This power transmission leads to extremely high stresses on a chain wheel which engages the drive chain. Due to the radial forces with the resulting tilting moments, such chain wheels tend to be forced out of engagement with the driving chain. A safe drive of the cutting machine requires, however, proper engagement of the chain wheels with the driving chain.